What are the views tourists have of Southport?

IN the 10 April 2015 Issue we announced that we have been asking people visiting Southport what they think of the Town. We wanted to find out from a random selection of people we found in the Town Centre what impression the area has given them and if locals see one thing and visitors another. After interviewing 20 people with the same questions:- "How long are you visiting the Town?", "Where have you come from" and "What impression have you got of Southport?" We were surprised to find that 12 of the 20 people we asked where here for a day visit. Out of those 12 people 8 complained about the parking problems in the Town Centre and 1 complained about not being able to drive along the beach as he had done many years ago. Of those 12 people who were just visiting Southport for the day, 4 of them came from the Manchester area, with 1 coming from King's Lynn and was staying in the Blackpool area and 2 were visiting whilst staying in Liverpool, having travelled for a holiday from Birmingham. 1 of the people we interviewed came from Ireland and had decided to head over to Southport for the day from Birkenhead. Another of the 12 day visitors came from Spain and was staying in Preston. Plus the 3 most interesting tourists where 1 from Hayed Park area of Chicago (USA), 1 from Australia and 1 from Koka in Japan, all on a Coach Trip from a hotel in Manchester, for the day. The other 8 people we approached and questioned were all staying in Southport. 1 of the 8 was staying at the Sandpipers, located on the Marine Lake. 1 was staying in the Ramada Hotel and had come from just outside London. Another was staying with relatives in Birkdale, for a funeral. 2 others had been staying in Pontins, 1 from Ashton-Under-Lyne, Tameside and the other from Burnley on a weekend visit. The final 3 tourists we talked to where all from the West Bromwich area.

Nearly all were very compliantly of the Town and the local area around it, but some issues did creep in to the statements… The most surprising comment came from the chap from Japan, who said:- "The area is very good. I have lots of things to photograph and people are so nice. I do ask why I see so many people dropping litter in this nice place. It's not just in this place, but also in other places I have seen in UK." This litter issue was also picked up by the Australian who also asked:- "Why are businesses putting bins and bin bags outside on the main road on a Sunday afternoon?" The same question was also raised by 1 of the West Bromwich tourists, who added:- "As you can see, the bins must be left out over night. They must get kicked over or something like the wind pushes them over and the result is mess all over the road. This does not make for a good impression for the Town."

Another came from a lady who was staying in Blackpool, but decided to see what Southport was like. She said:- "Blackpool is clearly hanging on and trying to do things to keep alive. I was told Southport was full of amazing shops, unlike Blackpool, but I can't find anything really different. All the shops seem to be mobile phone shops, charity shops or coffee shops. When you don't get them you have the big national brands you see on any high street. I am pleased to see some independent pubs though in the Town, but shocked to see how many! We can also see that you have the same issues we are worried about over anti-social behaviour. In our area we are fighting Wetherspoons, in Downham, due to concerned about the early morning drinking. In Southport I am surprised to see so many people dunk and it is not vent 3pm yet! Also why do you have an amazing looking building on the, next to the Pier, in such a depressing state of neglect?" The comment about poorly maintained buildings was also raised by those from Birmingham, who had spotted like us the poster "Another classic for Southport" on a rundown building. They joked that they had thought it must be a "Souse Joke."

On the plus side, those visiting did say that Southport people had been extremely friendly and nearly all said they would recommend the Town to friends. Only 2 commented they had not had a good reception. 1 of those comments came from the tourist from Spain, who said that he was upset to keep being asked:- "where did she work" and "when did you arrive in the UK." The other was a visitor from Manchester who said that he was upset and "would not recommended the Town" after getting a parking ticket when looking for change that world work in the parking meter. "It was not just the fact I got a ticket that upset me, but the fact I tried to get a ticket and could not get 1. I then got told by a few shops that they could not give me change for the machine."

Overall, we found people very positive about Southport and the local area, despite the problems we have raised. But the biggest issue that people had seemed to be the rubbish that was on the streets.